Papa's Pumpkin Carving Bash 2009

My parents have always taken great care of their garden and flower gardens. I remember several seasons of helping tend and care for the yard. Besides mowing the lawn [which the boys did] my dad pretty much did all the maintenance for his garden and the flower beds. Yard work kept him busy this last year and active and out of the house since he has had to be off work since this last February due to health issues. In the Spring he planted a bunch of pumpkins [with the grandkids in mind]. Throughout the whole season he would tell Elaina and the others the progress of the pumpkins he was growing for them. During the Summer, Marcus and Elaina loved to go out and help Papa in the yard. My Dad loved having Marcus out there to be his helper and talk with him and Marcus loved it too! Recently during fall clean up my Dad was quite tickled at Elaina as she took the apples from the bucket and threw them elsewhere helping her Papa and Daddy. That's how it was growing up in the Bogenrief household...finding a way to enjoy and have fun doing the work that had to be done.

The idea was to have a pumpkin carving night and make soups and make a night of hanging out and getting our pumpkins ready for Halloween. As luck would have it the week of Halloween half of my nieces and nephews got sick and had to miss the carving bash and the others lived too far away to come so it ended up just being Marcus, Elaina, and Justin! We missed the others but still had fun! It was fun to watch the kids interact with the pumpkins smell and guts! I've said it before and I'll say it again, but they are too funny to watch and crack me up!

Elaina's pumpkin got to be first, Papa's carved a special one just for her!

Getting interested in what's going on, asking serious questions [I just have no idea what they were.] :)

Paying close attention as Papa works on the master piece.

Elaina's finished pumpkin! She loved it. Out of the ones like this I decided to post this one because she got some of the pumpkin goo on her and I love the look on her face and close examination she gave her hand because she wasn't too sure about that part.

"Okay Mom, I'm done. Get me down."

We obviously don't let the kids help carve the pumpkins but they did get to help pick out the faces they wanted and help gut the pumpkins. Then they were the helpers in theory while Papa Dewey or Daddy did the rest. Marcus saw them getting out the knives and went to his tool chest and got out his safety goggles for Manny to wear. We thought it was hilarious and very smart of him and thoughtful to think of protecting his Popi. Manny wore his safety goggles [no lenses and all] the whole time. I LOVE these two boys! I don't know if they will ever know just how much.

Working hard. Popi's little helper.

My sad little goblin

Marcus helped me 'gut' his pumpkin! Wasn't too sure about the smells and texture of the guts but he did a really good job helping me!

The night got pretty busy after this and I didn't get a picure of all of the finished products but we had a great time. I'll have to find one of them on Halloween night to post!

Thanks Papa for such a fun night and helping the kids create their very own special Halloween Pumpkin to display! They were so proud of them.